Apparatus for controlling access to and use of portable electronic devices

• US 10,217,311 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renovo Software, Inc. (Global Tel-Link Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Renovo Software, Inc. (Global Tel-Link Corporation)
• Inventors: Peters, Brian, Eickhoff, Timothy J., Jarosek, Ehren R., Skaja, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US15/688,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20170358169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/00 Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/005 for the hiring of content carriers, e.g. of DVDs or CDs reverse vending for box-like objects such as videocassettes G07F7/069
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

Various prison services are rendered more efficient by providing inmates access to portable electronic devices in a controlled and regulated manner. A dispenser is employed to control and monitor the checking out and return of portable electronic devices and to communicate with such devices during use by inmates to monitor inmate use and ensure the portable electronic devices are only used by inmates as authorized.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a portable electronic device access request at a kiosk, wherein the access request includes prisoner identification information;

comparing, by one or more processors and/or circuits, the prisoner identification information with prisoner access information stored in a database;

determining, by one or more processors and/or circuits, that the prisoner identification information matches the prisoner access information to authorize prisoner access to a portable electronic device stored in the kiosk; and

in response to the determining, dispensing a portable electronic device by unlocking an electronic lock securing the portable electronic device in the kiosk.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device access request is received via prisoner interaction with a graphical user interface located on the kiosk.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a tablet computer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

granting access to content stored on the portable electronic device based on the prisoner identification information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing includes unlocking a physical locking mechanism located on a storage compartment door to grant access to the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing includes allowing for the portable electronic device to be detached from a battery charging interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring an amount of elapsed time in response to the dispensing.

8. A portable electronic device dispensing system, comprising:

a portable electronic device dispensing unit configured to securely store and selectively dispense one or more portable electronic devices;

a memory configured to store prisoner access information related to prisoner access of the one or more portable electronic devices; and

one or more processors and/or circuits communicatively coupled to the portable electronic device dispensing unit and the memory, the one or more processors and/or circuits configured to;

receive prisoner identification information;

search the memory for prisoner access information corresponding to the prisoner identification information;

determine that the prisoner access information matches the prisoner identification information; and

in response to the determining, command the portable electronic device dispensing unit to dispense a portable electronic device by unlocking an electronic lock securing the portable electronic device in the portable electronic device dispensing unit.

9. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the one or more portable electronic devices are tablet computers.

10. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

unlock content for use on the portable electronic device based on the prisoner access information.

11. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are further configured to:

transfer the content from the memory to the portable electronic device.

12. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes a grievance program.

13. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes a voice calling program.

14. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes an electronic mail program.

15. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes a video conferencing program.

16. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes a publication.

17. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes a video game.

18. The portable electronic device dispensing system of claim 10, wherein the content includes a music file.

19. A method, comprising:

enabling access to content stored on a portable electronic device according to prisoner access information, wherein the prisoner access information includes an allowed access time;

monitoring an amount of elapsed time in response to the enabling; and

transmitting a wireless signal to the portable electronic device to wirelessly disable access to the content stored on the portable electronic device in response to the amount of elapsed time exceeding the allowed access time.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the prisoner access information includes a balance related to a prisoner account.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

decreasing the balance of the prisoner account by a predetermined portable electronic device access amount.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining that the balance of the prisoner account exceeds a portable electronic device access threshold, and wherein the enabling occurs in response to the determining.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

decreasing the balance of the prisoner account based on prisoner usage of the portable electronic device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting a return of the portable electronic device to a wireless charging device, and wherein the decreasing occurs in response to the detecting.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

decreasing the balance of the prisoner account based on the amount of elapsed time.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

wirelessly monitoring interactions with the content stored on the portable electronic device.